City stymied on abandoned property

BUCYRUS — With three members absent, the Bucyrus City Council was unable to vote on any legislation at its regular meeting Tuesday evening, but several issues were brought to its attention, many by members of the community.

Three of those matters centered on whether the city was responsible for various properties.

Wesley Howell, of Marion Road, is interested in buying the abandoned apartments at 902-906 Whetstone St. and rehabilitating them, but he told the council he’s stymied by $15,000 in back taxes owed on the property by an out-of-state owner who’s declared bankruptcy.

“The city has very little control over properties when the banks walk away. We have a citizen here who wants to turn this into decent rentals, and we’re trapped,” city Law Director Rob Ratliff said. “The city doesn’t have the authority to foreclose for tax purposes. That’s up to the county treasurer, and this property is not on their list.”

Howell told the council he’s not sure the apartments can survive another winter. Ratliff and council President Sis Love said they plan on meeting with the county treasurer on the matter this week.

On another question of jurisdiction, Larry D. Gallant asked the council why he’s been cited for $600 in back taxes to the city despite receiving no city services for a property annexed by the city on Ohio 4 north of U.S. 30. He said he and his also wife are potentially liable for up to $6,000 in fines.

Gallant said the state plows the road and the county mows it, while his property there received no water or sewer services.

“I have a problem paying the city when you provided me no service whatsoever,” he told the council.

Love promised Gallant that Ratliff would work with him to resolve the matter.

On another jurisdictional matter, Joe Graham, of Positive Seekers, asked the city “to please figure out who owns Union Cemetery” across from Holy Trinity Catholic Church on Tiffin Street; it’s unaffiliated with the church.

“I ask the city to consider working with us to repair and maintain the cemetery,” he said.

A handful of Revolutionary War veterans are buried at the site, which was featured in last month’s annual cemetery walk.

“The cemetery walk really highlighted its deterioration. It predates the city. The city has been maintaining it, but there’s no record as to why,” Ratliff said, adding that the city will probably have to work with the county to determine the cemetery’s lineage and perhaps take title of the property.

John Kime Jr., who lives on Rogers Street, spoke to the council to voice his opposition to a proposal put forth by Councilman William O’Rourke early this year to remove the stop signs on East Southern Avenue at its intersection with Rogers Street. The city’s traffic commission has debated the issue for several months.

“We just wish it would go away,” Mayor Jeff Reser, who chairs the commission as a nonvoting member, told Kime of the matter.

“I do too. It would shorten my commute by five seconds, but I do see children in the area,” Kime said.

It’s against state law to use stop signs to control speed, and a traffic study conducted by the city in April revealed the traffic volume on Rogers Street did not meet state criteria for keeping the stop signs on Southern Avenue.

“You stand with the majority of your neighbors,” Love, who lives in the area and is against taking the stop signs down, told Kime.

“We’ll be making a decision pretty soon, hopefully at the next traffic meeting,” Reser said.